Newer Used fleet bus shell vs. Older conversion bus shell with (much) less miles

[lvmci]

Repeat,  won't cancel

[TomC]

This is why I'm converting my 1985 Kenworth cabover with mechanical Cat 3406B and mechanical Allison HT740. NO electronics on the truck, no EGR, and am legal smog wise in California (actually exempt). Granted electronic engines take care of themselves, but having 14 gauges help keep everything in line. Good Luck, Tomc

[eagle19952]

The bigger bus companies, and trucking firms, replace their equipment before the warranty runs out.

JC

touche !

[luvrbus]

Have you guys and girls ever noticed the only thing the EPA and electronic engineers have never screwed up yet is QWERTY layout of the typewriter key board  it is same as it was since the late 1800's

[edvanland]

Now Cliff why did you say that now they will probably get on the band wagon and screw that up.

[RJ]

Have you guys and girls ever noticed the only thing the EPA and electronic engineers have never screwed up yet is QWERTY layout of the typewriter key board  it is same as it was since the late 1800's

Clifford -

Unless you consider the DVORAK keyboard layout! 

[DoubleEagle]

Clifford -

Unless you consider the DVORAK keyboard layout! 

Yes, that was the one attempt to change from Qwerty. I tried it back in the nineties, and it is more efficient. The Qwerty style supposedly was meant to slow typists down because the old mechanical keys could get jammed if you typed too fast. It never caught on because everyone's brain has been Qwertized. I still have a Dvorak keyboard if someone wants to try. I believe it was the Mavis Beacon typing program that had a Dvorak version (in DOS). 

[luvrbus]

I knew about the DVORAK it has been around, but has had some changes made over the years

[Scott & Heather]

Phil, Tom brought up a good point too, a truck conversion...they make awesome coaches. Still on my bucket list someday....(I'm 34, and two buses in so far, so maybe I can do it?)


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[plyonsMC9]

Thanks Scott & Tom,
Yes, Tom did indeed bring up a good point.  I've always been fascinated by the big truck rigs.  No argument there. 

My dream has always been the bus though.  Started when I was < 5 year's old watching buses rumble down to the Lake Sequoia YMCA mountain camp.  I can't fight it - it's my destiny.       Else it would have likely been a truck. 


re: dependability - that's a hard point re: too much electronics and not enough reliability.  We've gotten our MC9 to be extremely reliable.  And in fact the only time it has broken down in about the last decade has been when a mechanic doing maintenance or an upgrade has made a mistake (for example, not properly bleeding the coolant system).  Once we get past the mistake the bus continues to just run.  Our family and guests really appreciate that.  We do a lot of preventative maintenance but I don't mind that at all.  Wacky electronics - not so happy about that thought.


Kind Regards, Phil

[lostagain]

Electronics in vehicles have a bad reputation for sure. But you have to consider that, just like it is for mechanical engines, electronic troubles are one in a million kind of thing. For every time you hear about someones electronic problem, there are hundreds of thousands of miles being driven without trouble that aren't mentioned. I think the advantages of electronics far outweigh the negatives. Last week the mechanic at Transportation Charter Services in Calgary was showing me the multiplex diagnostic system on a 2016 Prevost. If I have a problem on the road, I call the shop, and I can tell the tech exactly where the fault is from the diagnostic display on the dash. It pinpoints which switch or module or component is at fault. The tech then knows what part to bring with him. Or it can bypass a bad spot to get me home. We have new MCI J4500s with the same kind of system. That new stuff is SO fun to drive! You have to trade them in when the warranty expires though.

Hey, I still love my 1977 MC5C.

JC

[luvrbus]

Lol you should the electronics on the interior coach controls in the newer Prevost conversions I posted a photo of just 1 of the control boxes on F/B measured 4x2ft x 8nches thick.
Wanting to know the price of the control panel I called the converter and asked a few questions the panel cost 65k plus labor if you replace the complete panel          

[Geoff]

Thanks Scott & Tom,
Yes, Tom did indeed bring up a good point.  I've always been fascinated by the big truck rigs.  No argument there. 

My dream has always been the bus though.  Started when I was < 5 year's old watching buses rumble down to the Lake Sequoia YMCA mountain camp.  I can't fight it - it's my destiny.       Else it would have likely been a truck. 


re: dependability - that's a hard point re: too much electronics and not enough reliability.  We've gotten our MC9 to be extremely reliable.  And in fact the only time it has broken down in about the last decade has been when a mechanic doing maintenance or an upgrade has made a mistake (for example, not properly bleeding the coolant system).  Once we get past the mistake the bus continues to just run.  Our family and guests really appreciate that.  We do a lot of preventative maintenance but I don't mind that at all.  Wacky electronics - not so happy about that thought.


Kind Regards, Phil

If you are totally lost on the new truck/bus computer systems and make your living as a computer nerd your background can work against you.  Keeping this to buses, there are times that your computer background can work against you when you try to guess why a gauge reads high when the engine is actually running at normal temperatures.  There are times when there is a problem with old wiring causing  high readings due to rubbing of the electrical wiring.  This may show up on a 10 mile road test or it may not.  The important thing in this situation is COMMUNICATION.  If there is a problem talk to the shop that did the work--. Don't "throw then under the bus" as the old saying goes.

--Geoff

[oltrunt]

I'm pretty much happy with the results of the "over computerization" of the new drive lines as far as driveability goes.  What I am not so keen on  (besides multiplex wiring) is the propriertary nature of the system diagnostics.  My little bus with it's Isuzu underpinnings requires a "dealer only" scanner which translates into $200 a scan etc, etc.  I can buy a dealer scanner with all the factory support new for only $3250!!!!  I'm trying to negotiate a deal on a used one for half the price--we'll see.

As it stands right now, Good Sam will drag my broken down bus to the nearest safe haven where there probably won't be an Isuzu dealer to read codes and where storage fees and "lets throw this part at it" service will soon add up.  One way or another, all of us with "modern" computerized buses will have to address this problem.

Jack

[Geoff]

I'm pretty much happy with the results of the "over computerization" of the new drive lines as far as driveability goes.  What I am not so keen on  (besides multiplex wiring) is the propriertary nature of the system diagnostics.  My little bus with it's Isuzu underpinnings requires a "dealer only" scanner which translates into $200 a scan etc, etc.  I can buy a dealer scanner with all the factory support new for only $3250!!!!  I'm trying to negotiate a deal on a used one for half the price--we'll see.

As it stands right now, Good Sam will drag my broken down bus to the nearest safe haven where there probably won't be an Isuzu dealer to read codes and where storage fees and "lets throw this part at it" service will soon add up.  One way or another, all of us with "modern" computerized buses will have to address this problem.

Jack

Beware the scanner software and hardware!  I got taken by an eBay seller from China that sent me a small briefcase of connector plugs and software to analyze the different trucks/offroad/engines etc. only to find out you had to be a DEALER to gain access to the internet support that the software was supposed to access and give you the fault codes. 

--Geoff